Vienna (OTS) – April 28th marks the 150th anniversary of Karl Kraus’s birthday. On this occasion, Ö1 is dedicating “Diagonal” (April 13th), an “Ö1 Essay” (April 26th), “The Last Days of Mankind” as a two-part “radio play” (April 27th & May 1st) and “Du lovely art (28.4.). ORF 2 will show the documentary “Karl Kraus – The Power of the Word” in “kulturMontag” on April 22nd.
Under the title “I parry language to the letter” a “Diagonal to the Person: Karl Kraus” can be heard on Ö1 on Saturday, April 13th from 5:05 p.m. Karl Kraus continues to concern us intensively today for many reasons. His texts, not just those from his epochal magazine “Die Fackel”, have a monumental impact that continues to this day. In “The Last Days of Mankind,” Kraus portrayed the absurdity and inhumanity of war, a work that today screams like a reminder from the past.
The focus of the “Ö1 Essay” on Friday, April 26th from 11:05 a.m. is the text “Third Walpurgis Night” by Karl Kraus. Written in 1933, the text is considered the most important contemporary analysis of the beginning of National Socialist rule.
“The Last Days of Mankind” by Karl Kraus is on the Ö1 program as a two-part “radio play” on Saturday, April 27th and Wednesday, May 1st from 2 p.m. Kraus wrote “The Last Days of Mankind” between 1915 and 1922, as a reaction to the First World War. It’s not about the events at the forefront, but behind the front. Kraus paints a picture of a society that is unleashed, delusional and euphoric as it goes into a war that will one day be described as the primal catastrophe of the 20th century. He also focuses on the behavior of those people who profit from the war and gloss over it with patriotic phrases – the journalists, the arms dealers and the high-ranking officers. Franz Schuh and Erwin Steinhauer made a selection from the more than 200 scenes that describe everyday and fantastic situations and created a radio play version under the direction of Peter Rosmanith. More than a third of the piece consists of montages of newspaper articles, military reports, court rulings, overheard conversations and other material. Erwin Steinhauer takes part in the author’s production from 2014, the music comes from Joe Pinkl, Georg Graf, Peter Rosmanith and Pamelia Stickney.
Nicholas Ofczarek reads under the title “I don’t know the language; but the language completely dominates me” aphorisms by Karl Kraus about the theater, language and actors – on Sunday, April 28th from 8:15 a.m. in “Du holde Kunst”. The musical framework is provided by piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven interpreted by Glenn Gould. The program in detail is available at https://oe1.orf.at/karlkraus.
“Karl Kraus – The Power of the Word” on ORF 2
ORF television also pays tribute to Karl Kraus and will show the new documentary “Karl Kraus – The Power of the Word” on “kulturMontag” on April 22nd (11:15 p.m., ORF 2). In an era of upheaval and uncertainty around 1900, in which established institutions were failing, the sharp-tongued critic, media creator and writer rose up against the supposed guideposts of society:
the newspapers. With fearless attitude and relentless criticism, he exposed the press as corrupt and opportunistic. Franz Gruber’s film relates Karl Kraus’ legacy to the modern media landscape and asks how relevant his thoughts are today in the face of disinformation, political manipulation and fake news. Kraus’ multi-faceted personality is also illuminated: from the argumentative loner to the humorous family man. Experts analyze his media criticism and place it in the context of the current news landscape. The documentary shows how Karl Kraus’ legacy continues to shape and inspire today’s society.
Questions & Contact:
ORF Radio public relations
Isabella Henke
(01) 87 878/18050
isabella.henke@orf.at